No Style Points: Reviewing a Ragged Win over Old Dominion

Any win is a good win. Going into a house of horrors in Norfolk, a 37-17 outcome in the 'W' column would have been a comforting thought for Hokies fans prior to the game. However, against the depleted Monarchs — missing their best player (linebacker Jason Henderson), their starting quarterback and several other starters on both sides of the ball, and lacking in playmakers anywhere on offense — the ragged Virginia Tech performance left much to be desired. Defensive breakdowns, similar to those that plagued the Hokies run defense last season, gifted several long runs. While Old Dominion's aggressive stunting up front forced the Hokies blockers to play slow, taking away their physical edge. While Jaylin Lane had a big first half, Kyron Drones couldn't exploit the Monarchs sending their safeties into the box with a big play over the top, and Old Dominion kept it close until turnovers and a heavy dose of Bhayshul Tuten ground them down.

Run Blocking Took a Huge Step Backwards

A week ago against East Carolina, Old Dominion sat back and played deep umbrella coverage. However against the Hokies, the Monarchs undersized defense flooded the box with a bewildering array of stunts and blitzes to bewilder Virginia Tech's blocking schemes. Using a defense in depth concept, the ODU defensive line did their best to tie up as many blockers as possible, while second- and third-level defenders could roam free. The reckless game plan left the Monarchs vulnerable to big plays, but the confusion they sowed kept them in the game. Tech's offensive line played slow and lost way too many physical battles, despite protecting Drones better than the first two games.